Ramsau near Berchtesgaden: Nature and local history

Gorge, mountain forest and views

The Enchanted Forest (Zauberwald) by Hintersee is a rugged mountain forest landscape. Huge boulders recall the rockslide that shaped the landscape thousands of years ago. A footpath through the Enchanted Forest was laid out by the Ramsau Beautification Society in 1896/97. The forest bears the “Bavaria’s Most Beautiful Geotopes” quality seal, certified by the Bavarian Environment Agency, and is one of the three natural highlights of the Berchtesgadener Land. Here, a very ancient geological history meets a path laid out much later.

The Wimbach Gorge has a different character: the hiking trail, around 200 metres long, follows the steep rock faces over bridges and footbridges. Its short distance and built features describe the route without specifying a walking time or level of difficulty. If you are more interested in views than gorges, Wartstein offers another landscape landmark in Ramsau. This wooded viewpoint lies above Hintersee; from its summit, you can enjoy panoramic views of the Berchtesgaden mountains. A defined gorge trail and a viewpoint thus offer different ways to experience nature.

Church and historic ensemble

St. Sebastian Parish Church was built in 1512 under Prince-Provost Gregor Rainer and is dedicated to Saint Sebastian and Saint Fabian. Together with the historic cemetery, the former sacristan’s house and the rectory to the west of the church, it forms an architectural ensemble. The focus is therefore not solely on the church building: the associated historic buildings and cemetery are also part of this local landscape. The former function of the sacristan’s house remains part of its traditional name; it is the former sacristan’s house.

At Klausbachhaus and in the Berchtesgadener Land

The grounds of Klausbachhaus include a sensory garden with a barefoot trail and sound stations. In the wider travel destination of Berchtesgadener Land, Klausbachhaus, at the entrance to Klausbach Valley in the national park community of Ramsau, is also a starting point for many hikes in the national park; an accessible circular trail starts there, too. The garden and the circular trail offer different ways to visit: the sensory garden is on the grounds of the house, while the circular trail is a separate route option.

Berchtesgadener Land is the regional setting for other nature experiences that should not be conflated with specific places in Ramsau. Berchtesgaden National Park has a network of 260 kilometres of hiking trails and alpine paths. The roughly 200-metre trail through Wimbach Gorge and this extensive network are therefore very different in scale and in the type of route described. At Haus der Berge, a panoramic trail brings the materials and plants of four habitats—water, forest, alpine pasture and rock—to life; it also offers views of Watzmann, Hochkalter and Jenner. When planning your trip, you can distinguish between local landscape and cultural features in Ramsau and the attractions in the wider travel destination of Berchtesgadener Land.

If you would like to explore other destinations, you can visit the following pages individually for information on each named destination: Eck, Schneizlreuth, Ski accommodation in Berchtesgaden, Marktschellenberg, Bayerisch Gmain, Teisendorf, Schönau am Königssee, Bad Reichenhall.

For the wider travel overview: Berchtesgadener Land.